In addition to other regulators already looking at Apple, the Netherlands Authority for Consumer and Markets has just given an order to Apple, making them allow dating apps to use alternative forms of payment. With that, the company now has just two months to comply with their order.
Apple Ordered to Allow Third-Party Solutions for Dating Apps
ACM, or the Netherlands Authority for Consumer Markets, has ordered Apple to change the policies of its App Store in order to allow dating apps to give their users in-app purchase options through third-party payment solutions. To expand, as per the ACM announcement, Apple should adjust the conditions for access to the Dutch App Store when it comes to dating-app providers.
According to the story by PCMag, the announcement continued saying dating-app providers should be able to use different payment systems aside from just Apple’s payment system within the App Store. To add, within that context, dating-app providers should have the ability to refer to their apps payment options that are outside the app.
Apple Given Two Months to Change Their Policy
Apple was given two months to make changes to its policy by the regulators. Should the company fail to meet the deadline, the regulators will be fining Apple an approximate $5.6 million a week, going up to $56 million in total.
Apple, however, has expressed in a statement to The Verge that the company disagrees with the order that was issued by the ACM and has already filed an appeal. To expand, AMC is joining a growing list of groups that have been expressing their concerns regarding Apple’s way of managing its App Store.
South Korea and US District Judge on Third-Party Payments
South Korea has officially passed a bill that will require both Apple and Google to allow users to use third-party payment solutions on their respective app stores back in August. Another incident is when US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to allow developers to use alternative payments back in September.
On the other hand, Apple also won a stay on the injunction that would have required the company to change its App Store policies back on Dec. 9, allowing them to delay the effect until the appeal court rules on the current Epic vs. Apple issue.
Apple’s Response to the Issues
The company has also stated that its existing App Store policies are already meeting the current rules that the amended Telecommunications Business Act established in South Korea despite the regulators’ complaints.
This particular issue has started to become an area of interest for many different regulators from all around the world. With that, however, PCMag notes that it still seems very unlikely that AMC will be the last to order Apple to update its App Store policies ultimately.
